5 Important Tips to Prepare Your Bed and Breakfast for Holiday Guests

We all know Thanksgiving is a busy travel time, but this year’s Thanksgiving might be the busiest ever. As a result, it could get busy at your bed and breakfast. The federal Transportation Security Administration says it expects to screen nearly 3 million people a day in the stretch between November 16 and November 25. That’s to say nothing of all the people who will travel by car this holiday. It might be a stressful few weeks, but it’s also an ideal time to impress your guests and keep them coming back.

This blog will provide five important tips on how to prepare your bed and breakfast for holiday guests.

1. Who are Your Travelers?

When you know who your travelers are, you’ll have a better chance at anticipating their needs. Some might be planning a romantic getaway, while others might just want a change of pace from hectic holiday gatherings.

Most holiday travelers tend to drive themselves, but a not-insignificant number will arrive via public transit. Ask each of your guests how they plan to travel. If you have the manpower, offer to pick them up at the airport or train station.

As for your guests who are arriving by car, make sure you make the final stage of their trip – parking – easier by having sand, salt and a shovel on hand to clear away your driveway and parking spaces in case bad weather strikes.

2. Offer Activities

You can keep guests entertained by offering holiday-themed activities, whether it’s a shopping trip to unique local businesses or a chance to take part in outdoor winter sports and activities such as ice skating or sledding. However, many of your guests might be content to just sit by the fire and enjoy some hot chocolate, so leave that door open for them as well.

3. Bed and Breakfast Christmas Decoration Ideas and Other Room Preparation

It’s Christmas season, so keep things light when you decorate your rooms. You can start by outfitting each room with wintry florals such as holly, red twig dogwood or classics like poinsettias or evergreens but be aware that poinsettias are poisonous if ingested by small children.

Guests may also appreciate seeing a Christmas tree in the lobby covered with ornaments, garland, and lights. This will make the property more inviting and hopefully improve everyone’s mood.

Finally, you can make your guests feel more comfortable in their rooms by offering them fluffy robes and slippers, and including a basket of things they might have forgotten to pack: toothpaste, shampoo, soap, floss, etc.

4. What’s Your Bed and Breakfast menu?

Plan ahead if you’ll be serving guests a holiday dinner. Order your main courses – hams, turkey, duck, etc. – three weeks in advance. You can also prepare stocks and side dishes early and freeze them. There are also lots of good breakfast options such as orange cranberry bread and baked cranberry oatmeal.

Lastly, if you have a coffee bar, include some festive touches such as peppermint tea, pumpkin spice, eggnog creamers and hot cocoa.

5. Local Gifts

Impress your guests by giving them a – small – gift when they arrive. This can be something from a local business, such as hand-crafted soaps or artisanal chocolates. These business owners might even be willing to give you a discount in exchange for you promoting their brand.

InnStyle is Here for Your Bed and Breakfast

InnStyle is here to make your holiday experience easier at your bed and breakfast. This can be an overwhelming time of the year with a large amount of people looking to travel in a very short period of time. The key is to be prepared ahead of time. Your bed and breakfast will want to have fresh linens, an abundant supply of amenities, and food ready for preparation. Please give InnStyle a call about any hospitality questions that you may have. InnStyle can be reached at 267-354-6020. Their website is https://www.innstyle.com/.